A Short Boler History

[Roger C H]

This is information I gleaned from the listed publications through my local library archiving service:

Winnipeg Free Press, Friday, July 19, 1968
The first ad for a Boler – only $1495 at 466 Higgins Ave.

Winnipeg Free Press, Saturday, August 10, 1968
A Fiberglass Trailer For Compact Travel
Feature article telling how Ray Olecko and Sandy Dusa, a fiberglass mold maker, spent 3 months designing and building a trailer for Ray and when it was finished realized its market potential. Company has 8 employees.
Ray’s initial idea was for hunters and snowmobile users. He mentions what today would be called a toy hauler for a snowmobile and sleep 2.

Winnipeg Free Press, Saturday, November 9, 1968
Advertises 800 pound Boler fully equipped for $1695.

Winnipeg Free Press, Wednesday, February 12, 1969
International Business Established ‘Overnight’
Much the same information as the August article with the addition that they produced 3 trailers a week in a 4000 sq ft plant and recently moved to an 8000 sq ft plant at 770 Dufferin Ave. They also produce a fully insulated trailer with 1 inch thick urethane foam for use in below zero weather. (Note: zero in Celsius is 32 in Fahrenheit.)
Ray states that they can barely keep up with demand in the local area and are setting up several franchises in both the US and Canada. Also mentions a third share holder, Irwin Krieg. The marketing of the trailers was recently taken over by Newline Industries owned by John Sarens.

Winnipeg Free Press, Thursday, May 15, 1969
Advertisement listing Birchwood Trailer Sales, 3811 Portage Ave and Newline Industries 2306 Main St as sources.

Winnipeg Free Press, Saturday, August 16, 1969
Advertisement mentioning “Manitoba 1969 Design Award Winner” fully insulated with New Space Age Ensolite and $1695; listing two addresses, 770 Dufferin Ave and Birchwood 3811 Portage Ave.

Winnipeg Free Press, Tuesday, September 9, 1969
Advertisement of “Hunting Cabin on Wheels” and repeating August 16 information.

Winnipeg Free Press, Wednesday, April 28, 1971
Manitoba Trailer Hot Export
Started three years ago mortgaging their home to raise $5000 to start, today has annual sales exceeding $500,000.
Lists franchised manufacturers in Los Angeles, Minneapolis with another soon in Central US. Ray Olecko negotiating with three other companies, one in New York.
Gives same history as before but states that made 40 trailers in the first year and took on 770 Dufferin Ave, a 30,000 sq ft facility with 25 employees where they produce over 300 units per year plus FG truck camper roofs. Predicts close to 1000 Bolers produced in North America this year.
May produce a 16 ft trailer to sleep six.

The Oelwein Daily Register – Saturday, November 27, 1971
Kansas firm purchases Iowa Portable Mill
Iowa Portable Mill Mfg Co, Oelwein, acquired by Eleanor International, Inc, Wichita, KS. Boler American Corporation, a subsidiary of Eleanor and marketer in the US of a FG camping and travel trailer has placed an order with Iowa PM for 5000 trailer frames to be delivered during the next 12 months.
This order expected to quadruple Iowa PM’s sales to nearly $1,000,000. Frames will be shipped to production plants at Tripoli, IA, Aurora, NE and Backus, MN.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette: Sun.. Nov. 28, 1971
Eleanor Buys Oelwein Firm
A shorter version of the Oelwein Daily Register article.

This is as far as I got. Will add more information as I uncover it.

I found interesting the change from 8000 ft² to 30,000 ft² at Dufferin. Did they lease more of the building or was it an error? Also listing of unknown mfg locations like LA and Tripoli IA. Interesting to see Backus making an appearance.

I merely did a search on "Boler". I can't find anything on Trillium since I cannot control the newspapers covered by the archive service. Luckily they covered the Winnepeg paper. (I have the same problem with genealogy.)

I actually wrote this up before, duh.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...s-26760-2.html

See post #110.

[james kent]

Roger
Check out the Egg History_ Boler Decendants by Roy in TO. Its further down this page and is several pages long and there has been a lot of information collected.

[Donna D.]

This is the thread James mentioned: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...nts-26760.html

[Roger C H]

There is a ton of information scattered about FGRV:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post257093

Now just to separate the wheat from the chaff...